Every year for the past decade the Heritage Foods USA crew takes a bunch of chefs on a tour of the slaughter facility and farms that we work with in Kansas. What is most remarkable about the experience each time is witnessing the crossing of cultures: chefs mostly from the coasts who work at some of the best restaurants in the country meet, greet and share a meal and drinks with farmers and processors from the Midwest who raise the best meats in the country on their farms.
But more young people are signing on to this line of work than in past decades because of a growing demand for better food. Perhaps no other two organizations have done more to support this important trend than 4-H Youth Development Organization and FFA (Future Farmers of America).
What really separates Heritage Breeds of chicken from the rest of the pack, and why is it so important to help preserve breed diversity? What is most remarkable about the chicken is that every one of the approximately 12 billion that populate the planet earth are all descended from the Red junglefowl (gallus gallus) of southern Asia.
The ham is everywhere — in every deli in America — but what’s its real deal? Hams weigh about 30 pounds. Every pig has two hams on him or her. For an average sized pig (about 200 lbs), the hams represent 1/3 of their overall weight. That’s a big portion, especially when you consider that the center cut pork loin only weighs about 8lbs for a total of 16lb per animal. It’s easy to understand the reasoning behind the axiom that pig profits go the way of the ham.
Ben Machin grew up in Vermont on a small organic homestead where his family grew their own food and produced apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and maple syrup for market. After some years working for the US Forest Service as a Smokejumper, Ben came back to Vermont to study and work on various natural conservation projects. Eventually he rekindled his interest in farming. The post Ben Machin & Grace Bowmer of Tamarack Vermont Sheep Farm appeared first on HERITAGE FOODS USA.
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